Project information

Building schoolteacher housing in rural Myanmar

It's tough to retain schoolteachers who are sent by the government to the remote villages in the Irrawaddy delta where we have built schools. These are hardship postings, exacerbated because the villages struggle to provide housing. We want to build decent houses for teachers so that they remain.

Charity information: Helping The Burmese Delta

Need

We have built 34 primary and middle schools in remote areas of Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta. The great majority have been adopted by the government, who then provide teachers. These are unpopular postings, in villages without facilities or electricity, and teachers often resign in order to get away. Because the government does not supply accommodation, the teachers often end up lodging with a villager, or even living in the school. This is uncomfortable, and makes retention even harder.

Solution

Our solution is simple: we will build proper, basic houses, with good toilet and cooking facilities.

This will give privacy and much better accommodation, make the teachers' lives more comfortable, and encourage them to stay longer.

Aim 1

To build teachers' houses in 8 villages

Activities

» Select villages where the teachers are in need of accommodation, and discuss the project with the teachers and village committee. » Choose a suitable site to be provided by the village. » Build the accommodation.

Aim 2

Activities

What success will look like

Impact

By ensuring a more stable staff in the schools, we expect that the children will be better educated, and the parents will be motivated to keep their children in school.

We can measure this by improved enrolment and retention, and parent satisfaction.

Risk

We know these villages and schools extremely well, having worked there for ten years. There are always potential risks in these remote and difficult environments, but we have reliable builders, and strict controls on purchase of materials, plus we monitor the process carefully.

We cannot influence the choice of teachers, so the quality and motivation may fluctuate beyond our control.

Reporting

We report through our newsletters, website, and Facebook page. We ae always ready to report directly to donors when required.

Location

The project will be in Yay Kyaw Toe village tract, Bogalay Township, Ayeyarwaddy Division, Myanmar.

This is a very poor area, even by Myanmar standards, which is dedicated to rice growing, but where due to saline streams can only produce one crop per year. The only other significant occupation is fishing, but purely for local consumption.

Beneficiaries

The direct beneficiaries will be the teachers, but the indirect beneficiaries will be the children, parents, and the villagers.